Arctic Circle of Greenland

With the mouth of the fjord sitting on the far western horizon and the ice cap knocking at the door, all roads lead to the backcountry.

GATEWAY TO GREENLAND
The local saying goes that you are never without a friend in Kangerlussuaq, for you are always destined to meet a familiar face in this gateway to Greenland. All day long, travelers touch down in Kangerlussuaq to crisscross around the country and reach the rest of the world.

The lucky ones are the people who trade the buzzing transit hall for a spot in the hills where the loudest sounds are the thoughts in one’s own head.

Look past the oddities of Kangerlussuaq’s military beginnings and beach-like temperatures in summer to discover that the only inland town in Greenland is really a diamond in the rough. A community with steadfast solidarity and a backcountry of the wildest degree stand here to put your adventurous spirit to the test.

GREENLAND ICE CAP
The Greenland Ice Cap is a mecca for travelers who wish to see a true wonder of the world. It is hard to believe that only a few decades ago it was inaccessible to most people. Like a mysterious and looming beast, the Ice Cap sent cool winds rolling down from its highest peak into Kangerlussuaq.

Fortunately the Greenland Ice Cap is easier to reach now, though it remains a force to be reckoned with. Watch as the glacier edge calves into river rapids below, leaving a jagged face of ice in its place. Or challenge your threshold for cold and spend a few nights camping on the ice while the wind whips around your tent. The opportunities to explore are diverse, but one thing is universal – nothing conveys Earth’s power like the Greenland Ice Cap.

• Kangerlussuaq offers easy access to the Greenland Ice Cap, via a 25 km dirt road.
• Kangerlussuaq and the 170 km fjord it rests on share the same name, meaning “big fjord”. The Arctic Circle crosses the fjord at its halfway point.
• Kangerlussuaq was founded in 1941 when it was opened as a U.S. Air Force base. Americans remained there until 1992. Kangerlussuaq Museum exhibits the town’s history as an American base and afterward.
• Kangerlussuaq has more than 300 days of clear sky a year, making it one of the best places to see the northern lights which are visible between October and April.

BREATHE THE BACKCOUNTRY
The appearance of summer foliage is the terrain’s invitation to traverse the hills and stand atop the mountain peaks. With an occasional herd of Arctic animals as the only cause for a traffic jam, solitude in nature is Kangerlussuaq’s specialty.

When the intense midnight sun has you wishing for a bit of relief, take refuge on the nearby waters. Kayaking in the fjord or along a string of refreshing lakes gives a whole new perspective on the vast Kangerlussuaq backcountry. Kayaking was central to Greenlandic hunting culture, and even though your adventure is purely for fun, channel Inuit hunters at sea as you slip into your kayak.

A LIGHT SHOW OVERHEAD
When the nights become cooler and longer, the northern lights take their cue to begin a winter of light shows. It takes a bit of dedication to capture these cosmic dancers on film, but the Greenland Ice Cap and the colorful houses in Kangerlussuaq set the perfect composition. Sometimes dressed in green and other times in purple or red, but always enchanting, the northern lights illuminate the sky overhead.

Backcountry sports and Arctic adventures in Sisimiut are the perfect answer to a pursuit for cultural discovery and pure natural settings.

ROUGH. REAL. REMOTE.
These three words cut to the core of Sisimiut’s reputation as an adventure travel hub in Greenland. Up here at the top of the world, there is no chance of running into your neighbor from back home, and the town doesn’t just put on a tough face when others are nearby. Sisimiut maintains its cool, urban character every day of the year.

In the midst of such wide territory, the adventure scale knows no boundaries. Fly fishing for Arctic char in crisp rivers, hiking and cross-country racing through the mountains, and snowmobiling in fresh powder are only the beginning of fun in this Arctic Circle backcountry.

BACKCOUNTRY SPORTS
The unsuspecting person might imagine that winter’s onset triggers a season of hibernation, but not in Sisimiut! In this winter-loving town, the cold and snow only add fuel to the fire.

Sisimiut’s mountains were made for exploration but there is a lot of ground to cover. So when in Greenland, do as the Greenlanders do and try dog sledding. Take in the view in all its rugged glory as you cross territory that only a Sisimiut local knows how to find.

An alternative is to feel the land right beneath your skis and dash through the mountains in the Arctic Circle Race. It is an event when locals and visitors stand side-by-side pushing their limits and having fun while doing it. The mental and physical challenges come one after another, and during the competition the adrenaline runs quite high. But in the end, everyone finishes with new friends from the shared experience and a sense of great accomplishment.

• Sisimiut is 40 km north of the Arctic Circle. The name means “the people living in a place where there are fox dens”.
• Sisimiut was founded in 1756 and has approximately 5,600 residents. It is the second largest town in Greenland.
• Near Sisimiut are two villages, Itilleq and Sarfannguit, which can be reached by boat with Sirius Greenland or the Arctic Umiaq Line settlement service.
• The town is an important cruise destination for both expedition vessels and medium sized cruise ships, linking Nuuk and Kangerlussuaq with the Disko Bay area and Ilulissat further north.
• The Sisimiut Museum has a special exhibition on trade, shipping and industry.
• There are two large supermarkets and many grocery stores and shops in Sisimiut.
• The city bus goes on a circuit around town, and taxis are available (+299 86 55 33).
• There are two hotels in Sisimiut: Hotel Sisimiut and The Seamen’s Home. Other accommodations include two hostels.
• Arctic Umiaq Line’s coastal ferry, called Sarfaq Ittuk, docks twice a week – once heading north on Saturday nights and once heading south on Monday mornings.

ARCTIC ADVENTURES
Though it is a bit sad to see the last patches of snow melting away, in summertime Sisimiut turns into an oasis for adventurers looking for new places to fulfill their hobbies. The Sisimiut and Kangerlussuaq wilds are prime for big game hunting. Trophy hunters can foster camaraderie and learn about Greenlandic sustainable practices while searching for exotic targets like reindeer and muskox. Nearby, a few remote angling camps give fly fishermen exclusive access to the mountain rivers that are naturally stocked with Arctic char.

And for those looking for quality hiking in Greenland, the Sisimiut backcountry abounds. Start by climbing to the top of Palasip Qaqqaa or Nasaasaaq to scope out the surroundings, and you will see that the mountainous horizon stretches for days. Just pick a peak and let your wandering spirit prevail, or hike the entire 160 kilometer Arctic Circle Trail from the coast to the Ice Cap along routes followed by local populations for millennia.

URBAN COOL
In Sisimiut the boundary between terrain and town is a distinct one, but at heart the locals embrace the same rough, real, remote mantra of their natural counterpart. The Sisimiut locals are good to take matters into their own hands, and they have a thriving fashion sense that rivals any street in Europe.

Swing by the skate park to watch talented youth do BMX bike tricks in preparation for competitions around the world. In summer they are sure to be there day or night because the midnight sun never sets on this cool Arctic Circle community.

Angling, whale watching and heliskiing are the trademarks of Maniitsoq.

THE VENICE OF GREENLAND
In Greenland we love to compare our small towns with world famous metropolises, and since Maniitsoq is situated in an archipelago, intersected by small natural canals, the town has obviously been dubbed the “Venice of Greenland” by the locals. Anything less clearly would not be enough.

But where Venice falls just a bit short is where Maniitsoq shines. Active adventures open the gates to a backcountry with heliskiing, angling for Arctic charr, pods of visiting humpback whales, and the contrast between the rugged peaks of the Eternity Fjord and the quiet everyday life in the village of Kangaamiut, only an hour by boat from Maniitsoq.

You might be lead to believe that any kind of fish will do once you are wearing waders and standing in an unspoiled river in a Greenlandic mountain valley. But we understand how anglers are especially picky and that some fish simply are better.

Luckily nature provides in abundance around here, and two rivers just south of Maniitsoq are full of Arctic charr – and what’s more, both rivers offer hut accommodation and guides with deep local knowledge. We would expect nothing less.

• Maniitsoq was founded in 1755 and has 2.800 inhabitants
• The town name means “The uneven place” and refers to the many rocky knolls and small mountains shaping the structural layout of the town.
• The town has three hotels; Hotel Maniitsoq, Hotel Heilmann Lyberth (HHL) and Hotel Toppen. Especially Hotel Maniitsoq has a great panoramic sea view from its location high above the harbour.
• The Arctic Umiaq Line ferry passes Maniitsoq on a weekly basis and Maniitsoq Tour Boat services the nearby villages and also runs a regular passenger transfer to Nuuk in the summer months.
• The town has a supermarket, Brugseni, and a few smaller convenience stores

BOAT TRIPS & WHALES
The boat ride to the rivers resembles most other adventures at sea in the Maniitsoq region, and throughout the summer season whales grace the shores throughout much of the area. Humpback whales are particularly playful and love to show off aerial acrobatics and tail whips, so if you ever feel that the locals seem a bit pushy in their attempts to get you out to sea it is only meant as a friendly adventure challenge.

If you need to crank the adventure volume to 11 heliskiing in the alpine region around both maniitsoq and the nearby village of Kangaamiut is an essential part of the mix. We are actually prepared to stick our necks out and give the award for Greenland’s best heliskiing conditions to the peaks in the Eternity Fjord area.

In all modesty it has been arranged in way where the helicopter will drop you off on a razor-sharp peak and pick you back up at the water’s edge. Now that you’re here we prefer that you can take advantage of every available vertical meter.